Watch setting and starting device



Feb- 12, 1 946. J. c. BURGBACHER l WATCH SETTING AND STARTING DEVICE F'iledrApIl 24, 1943 2 Sheets-Shet 1 L mw Y uw m M www %N m .D Ndl .NN M f@ VU T. w www NM NB T l A WMM/ @N N NN mild: `pwwzjz. H 7;: m 1 y N Y l/ MSS m mTmw @@@QQ .Q 1i.; Jbw

Feb. 12, 1946.

J. c. BURGBACHER v2,394,746

WATCH SETTING AND STARTING DEVICE' Filed April 24, 1945 zsheets-sheet 2.

` Z4 7 a ZZ .5 y 14 12mg 1J 1 15 1 Z1 419.1@ www 25 Z9 zz A u 5i f a y fi Y6 y I '/yj ZZ, Z3 y Z4 1g .E '3 5 12 5 i? 15 as 1r Z5 Z5 o 1 14 MASTER cLocK BYWMMW ATTORNEY Patented Feb. 12, 1946 2,394,746 WATCH SETTING AND STARTING DEVICE .lohn C. Burgbacher,

assignor to Bulova Watch Company,

Bayside, Long Island, N. Y.,

New York,

N. Y., a. corporation of New York Application April 24, 1943, serial No. 484,360

Claims.

The present invention relates to the method of and apparatus for simultaneously setting a plurality of Watches so that they may be adjusted to maintain correct timeduring use by the purchaser.

Accuracy of time is of paramount importance under all circumstances and under conditions of War when the synchronized movement of entire armies may mean the difierence between success and defeat if there is a variation in accurate timing due to faulty Watches. One of the final steps in the manufacture of watches is the testing for .accuracy which requires an appreciable period of approximately twenty-four hours to adequately determine whether a watch gains or loses time. Once the determination is `made the watches are accordingly adjusted and must be again checked to ascertain if accuracy has been obtained with this procedure being repeated until a given watch maintains accurate time.

This not only requires a considerable period frequently running into days but heretofore the number of watches that could be successfully handled and tested has been somewhat limited. It is accordingly an object of the present invention to provide a method and apparatus for the testing of a relatively large number of time pieces simultaneously so that they can then be adjusted to keep accurate time. Y

Another object of the present invention is the provision of an apparatus for simultaneously setting a relatively large number of watches at a given time with a record being rnade after the lapse of a preselected interval and each watch then adjusted as indicated by the record so that the watch will keep accurate time.

Still further objects of the present invention Will become obvious to those skilled in the art by reference to the accompanying drawings, wherein:

Fig. 1 is a top plane View of the apparatus of the presentl invention for simultaneously setting a plurality of watches.

Fig. 2 is a sectional view of the apparatus taken on the line lli-II of Fig. l;

Fig. 3 is a sectional view of the same apparatus and taken on the line III-III of Fig. 2, and

Fig. 4 is a photographic View of a rack of watches alongside of a master clock so that the accuracy of the individual watches is recorded after a predetermined time period.

Watches of the type to which the present invention relates are so constructed that upon a given outwardmovement of the stem the hands never more so than/ may be set and the operation of the movement terminated. When the stem is moved inwardly the watch starts, Watches oi. this type are used by service men such as the Air Corps where it is essential that all watches be set to correspond with the setting of a control watch.

Referring now to the drawings in detail the apparatus `shown therein comprises a board 5 of which there may be any number, although for the sake of simplicity, only one such board has been shown. Such board is provided with a base 6 disposed either vertically or horizontally on a table or bench 1. A pair of longitudinal extending strips 8 are secured at the top and bottom of the base 6 by means of set screws or the like 9 thus forming a rectangular trough.

As shown more clearly in Fig- 1 a pair of channel members I2 are disposed immediately above the lower strip 8 while a second pair of channel members I3 are spaced slightly above the members I2 thus dividing the entire rectangular trough into two longitudinally extending narrow and unobstructed recesses. A watch holding rack I4 is disposed in the upper recesses thus formed between the channel members I3 and the upper strip 8 while a similar watch holding rack is positioned in the recess formed between the channel members I2 and I3. To prevent longitudinal movement of the holding racks I4 they arev positioned between angle brackets I5 projecting upward from the base 6.

It will be noted that each rack I4 is oi elongated conguration so as to be readily inserted and removed from the unobstructed recesses of the board and are provided with a plurality of circular recesses I5 accommodating a watch I1 therein with the stem I8 of each watch projecting slightly beyond the side wall of the rack I4. Three vertically slidable bars I9 ilt into recesses 20 provided on the face Vof the base B and are secured together so as horizontally positioned setting bars 22, In order to position at least two of these setting bars 22 in juxtaposition to the Watch stems I8, the fastener between the bars `I9 and 22 is in the form of a supporting post 23, As shown more clearly in Fig. 1 these posts 23 pass through the vertical bars I9 from the underside thereof and above the bars are of somewhat larger diameter. A shoulder 24 is provided in the larger diameterportion of the posts 23 against which the horizontal bars 22 are secured which thus raises the latter to the correct height so as to dispose them in juxtaposition to the watch stems. A small shockto slide in unison by three wardly so as to provide a small spacing between.v the horizontal bars 22 and the watch stems I8 with the tension of the spring 21 underadjustn ment by the set screw 26. Moreover, the spacing between the horizontal bars 22jand the watch able stops 28 passing through the upper hori- YK stems I8 may be regulated Vby a pair of adjustc of say twenty-four hours the racks Id containing zontal bar 22 and bearing against the' VsideY of the base 6.

For theV purposefof causing sliding movement of the vertical bars I9 against the tension of the spring 2l' and lifting of the horizontal bars 22 so as to simultaneously depress the watch stemsv I8 to start the watches II at a pre-selected time instant, a link 29 pivotally connects the arrangement to the armature of a solenoid 30. As shown in Fig. l this solenoid is adapted, upon the closure of a4 hand switch 32, to be energized periodically after the elapse of a selected period of time.

When this hand switch is closed the solenoid oclock the switch 33 is closed which immediately energizes the solenoid 30.

Energization of the solenoid 30 causes retraction of its armature together with upward sliding movement of the vertical bars I9 and raising of the horizontal bars 22. The latter accordingly depresses all of the stems I8 of the watches II simultaneously thus starting them all running at the time set, namely, 3 oclock. The operator then marks the date and the time the watches I'l were all set on the information card 39 pro- Yvided on each rack I4 and removes the latter preparatory to inserting additional racks for setting at a subsequent time of a few minutes after 3 oclock. C

After the expiration of a definite period of time the watches which were set the day before are Y photographed at the same time, namely 3 oclock 3 oclock while of the watches Il in the upper is 'thus connected to a source of supply Ill- L2 of the customary domestic potential of 110 volts when a further switch 33 is automatically closed. To operate this switch 33 a master synchronous electric clock 34 isprovided. This clock is also connected to the A. C. source of supply LI--L2 and thesecond hand of this master clock 34 has a shaft 35 carrying a' cam 36. A bell-crank or rocker-arm 3l rides upon the cam surface with one end thereof being lifted so as to cause slight rotary movement of the rocker-arm 37 when the cam 36 has rotated 360, or once every minute.

Upon raising the rocker-arm with slight rotary movement about its pivot the other end of the rocker-'arm 3l depresscs the switch 33 against the tension of a spring 38 and thus closes the circuit tothe various solenoids 39 provided the adjacent hand switches 32 have previously been closed.

Assuming now it is desired to set a plurality of watches I'I, they are all wound and set for the i same period of time which is a minute or twor in advance of that shown by the master clock 34 toY give adequate opportunity to insert the the racks I 4 they must therefore be in vpositiony on the board about a minute before 3 oclock by the master clock 34. y

Oncerin position upon the board the operator then watches the master vclock 3d and after the latter reads say one minute to'3 oclock he then closes thehand switch 32; This has no effect on the solenoid Sii since the circuit is openediby the automatic switch 33. However, as the min- .1 -ute h nd of the master clock approaches 3 oclock l 'the' camra''ses therocker'arm and at'precisely `3 75 rack I4, the left hand one is about four seconds slow and the one on the right approximately 2 seconds fast. The single watch illustrated in the Y center rack it is accurate` and corresponds to the master clock after twenty-four hours while the watchin the lower rack I4 is 10 to 12 seconds siow. f

The operator then removes the watches Il which do not correspond to the master clock from the respective racks I4 and adjusts each one in the manner indicated by the photograph, that is, those shown to be slow are adjusted to run faster and those indicated as too fast are slowed down. Moreover, since this gives an accurate indication to the second of the variation between each watch under identical conditions for a period of twenty-four hours, the operator also has an absolute indication of the precise adjustment necessary for each individual 'watch 'so as to properly adjust the same for accurate time after the rst test thus eliminating many subsequent tests as has heretofore been required. After adjustment the watches may again be set in the manner previously described and checked afterv another twenty-four hour interval merely as a inal test.

It thus becomes obvious to those skilled inv the art that a methodof and apparatus for accurately testing alarge group of watches simultaneously is herein provided. Moreover, those watchesV whichrare not keeping accurate time are immediately discernible and an indication is given of the adjustmentrequired for each individual watch in order to set it to keep accurate time when sold to the ultimate purchaser. 'I'he apparatus is of relatively simple and economical construction and VVvery positive in its operation enabling watches in relatively large quantities to be testedvand adjusted in the course of a day.

Although one speciiic embodiment of the present invention has been shown and described it is to be understood that further modifications thereof may be made without departing from the What is claimed is: Y Y

1. The method of setting and testinga pluspirit and scope of the appended claims.

rality of watches which comprises setting all watchesY for the same selected time and leaving their stems withdrawn to prevent running of the ter clock and to determine the adjustment required for each watch at variance with the master clock in order to adjust each of the watches to keep accurate time.

2. The method of setting and testing a plurality of Watches which comprises setting all watches for the same given time, positioning all the watches in a rack with their stems withdrawn to prevent their running after being set at the selected time, disposing the rack of watches in a control board, connecting the board to a master clock at least a minute before the master clock registers the time at which all watchesk were preset so that when the master clock registers the preset time of the watches all the stems thereof are simultaneously depressed to start al1 the Watches at the time of the master clock, removing the rack of Watches from the board and allowing them to run continuously for a definite period of time, and recording the time registered by all watches together with that of the master clock after the expiration of the definite period of time to ascertain the accuracy of each watch in comparison lwith the time registered by the master clock and to determine the adjustment required for each Watch at variance with the master clock in order to adjust each of the Watches to keep accurate time.

3. An apparatus for setting and testing a piurality of Watches comprising a rack for holding said Watches with their stems withdrawn to prevent running thereof after they have all been preset at a given time, a control board for supporting said rack of preset watches, a master clock, and means connecting said master clock to said control board and automatically operable when the master clock registers the precise time at which all watches were preset to cause the simultaneous depression of all watch stems with attendant starting of all said watches at the same given instant.

4. An apparatus for setting and testing a plurality of Watches comprising a rack for holding said watches with their stems withdrawn to prevent running thereof after they have all been preset at a given time, a control board for supporting said rack of preset watches, means carried by said control board in juxtaposition to the withdrawn stems of said watches and movable into contactwith the latter to cause the simultaneous depression of said stems and the starting of said Watches at the same instant of time, and a master clock connectedto said control board means and automatically operable when registering the precise time at which all Watches were preset to cause operation of said control board means.

5. An apparatus for setting and testing a. plurality of watches comprising a series Vof racks for holding said watches With their stems Withdrawn to prevent running thereof after they have all been preset at a, given time, a control board for supporting said racks of preset watches, a bar and rod arrangement carried by said control board including a bar disposed adjacent the withdrawn watch stems of each rack of watches and each bar being movable in unison into contact with the watch stems of its respective adjacent rack to cause the simultaneous depression of said stems and the starting of said watches at the same instant of time, and a master clock connected to said control board and automatically operable when registering the precise time at which all watches were preset to cause simultaneous movement of the bars of said bar and rod arrangement.

' JOHN C. BURGBACHER. 

